Dairy Center For the Arts

Great performing arts center in the heart of Boulder. The whole building is under heavy reconstruction but all the performances are up and running and you can also get some art for your eyes hanging at the walls. Very friendly people informing about the activities and the remodeling going on.

I haven’t had good English language theatre in a while, so when I was in Boulder, I took the chance to watch a good play. This was the venue.
The pick up counter was very easy, our tickets were ready the moment we stepped in. The theatre was also spacious and had good ventilation. The staff were very courteous and friendly.
I have nothing to complain about this place. I felt like the show was a good value for my money, and therefore I look forward to being here again whenever I get the chance to visit Boulder again.

I have been to the Dairy Center for a variety of events over the years. They have a nice theater for live performances and exhibit space for various art installations. This evening was the opening reception for the anniversary and retrospective of 50 years of the Handweavers Guild of Boulder. There was a juried show of contemporary members, some historical pieces from the collections of many longtime members and a wonderful memory wall of pictures, posters, media releases and personal notes going back to 1964. It was quite an event and the show will be open until mid January. For a former member of the Guild like myself, it was heartwarming to see mementos from my memories of those years and to reconnect with some local artists who stayed with it far longer than I was able to do.
If you are unaware of the history of this building and the name, it was formerly the Watts-​Hardy Dairy facility, a longtime Boulder operating milk bottling plant, still a working facility in my early years in Boulder. When it was built, this was on the outskirts of Boulder!

The events that I have attended here were great! The space is very accommodating for a variety of specialty classes, dance recitals or plays. I also went to a movie here and loved the theater. They even offer a few different adult beverages and special candies.
It’s tucked away in the heart of Boulder and is a wonderful venue. I look forward to visiting again very soon.

For a fix of Art Cinema check out what’s on at The Dairy. Great little theater that frequently sells out.
I recommend checking out their website and purchasing tickets in advance.
I primarily go for the movies, but The Dairy has other offerings like a art exhibits and live dance performances.

Don’t let the name fool you — this is a large place for displays of artistic expression! Not a place to buy milk. There is a large theater as well as a venue for displaying visual art.

it’s where it’s at for the arts scene in Boulder.

Beautiful performance space and theatre, featuring galleries and event space for rental in addition to a regular performance schedule.
Recently I had the opportunity to visit the DCFA for the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company’s performance of Sedaris’ Santaland Diaries during the holidays. Tickets were easy to buy online and there was ample parking available. The staff running the space during the performance were all informative and friendly, plus their coffee bar featured rum coffee cocktails, beer and wine in addition to the normal soft drinks and cocoa set up. They even encouraged folks to take drinks into the theater space with them, which can’t hurt an audience reception!
There wasn’t a bad seat in the house and I thought that the lighting and staging of the piece was quite professional considering that this is a relatively small community space in our little town. I didn’t have a chance to explore the gallery space much but it seemed pretty expansive and well curated.
Definitely want to return for another show at DCFA next time I’m in town!

2012 Review #29:
It’s important to keep in mind that when I’m reviewing a performance venue, I review it as a performer, not a patron. I find it sort of silly to review any specific thing I saw here as a patron, since those shows are long gone and had nothing to do with the dairy center anyway.
As a place to perform, I’d say the Dairy Center does a good job of charging a lot of money and not doing very much. There isn’t any support staff, at all, so don’t expect anyone to help with things, like disposing of trash or tearing down sets. Even so much as holding a door open for you to take supplies outside, etc. This is in their best interest, because then they stand to make more money off of you if you occupy the space for more time.
I spent some time actively rehearsing and performing here over a number of weeks and the overwhelming vibe I got was, «you must get this right the FIRST time because I cannot possibly afford to rent another hour here because they charge so much.» I can’t speak much as to the validity of this statement, but I can say that a lot of the people you might want to speak to at any given time, as a renter of space here, are not available when you need them. When you rent a space here, it includes someone to help with lights and sound, but they are working for the dairy center, not for you. That is obvious in the way they work.
The spaces to get ready in back are just sort of thrown together «dressing rooms» that are just slabs of scrap pressed wood thrown together, without a ceiling, in the middle of a cavernous green room. They aren’t soundproof, they’re about the size of a walk-​in closet and they just don’t make a lot of sense. The backstage spaces are also sort of actively holding stuff for other shows. When we were getting ready to perform once, there was a… prop…from the Vagina Monologues. It was… large…and anatomically correct. Our show had 10 year olds in it. If I were a director or a parent, I probably wouldn’t want the venue I’m paying thousands of dollars to to have a giant baby-​machine made of felt hanging around in front of my adolescent kid. Just something to consider, I s’pose, next time you go to the theater. While you watch Little Orphan Annie, just remember the horrors she might have to confront back stage.

The Dairy Center is a lovely local arts center with a surprisingly diverse network of programs going on.
I was lucky enough to see «The Santaland Diaries» here a few years ago and the production was better than the version I saw at a larger venue in Denver the year before. I have also seen a number of ballets which are always a treat.
In addition, the child I nanny for regularly attends classes at the Dairy Center-​both ballet at the Lemon Sponge Cake ballet studio as well as piano lessons through the Parlando School for the Arts, which is located in the rear of the building.
They have just recently added the Boedecker Theater as well, which hosts various films and performances.

Completely agree. My wife and I have been here twice now and have enjoyed it both times. The seating is excellent, not a bad seat in the house and the facility is excellent. If you want coffee/​drink or a snack they have those available in the lobby.

The Dairy is a great community based arts organization and facility.
I tend to focus on the visual arts and the galleries show excellent local and national talent. The balance of The Dairy is a space for numerous theatrical, dance, musical organizations.
The Dairy really the best and broadest based community arts organization in Boulder County.